Samsung Galaxy S25 Series to Feature Snapdragon 8 Gen4 Exclusively, Exynos 2500 Skips Flagship Lineup

Samsung Galaxy S25 Series to Feature Snapdragon 8 Gen4 Exclusively, Exynos 2500 Skips Flagship LineupRecent reports indicate that all three models in the Samsung Galaxy S25 series will be equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen4 platform globally. The much-anticipated Samsung-developed Exynos 2500 processor will, however, be absent from this flagship lineup

Samsung Galaxy S25 Series to Feature Snapdragon 8 Gen4 Exclusively, Exynos 2500 Skips Flagship Lineup

Recent reports indicate that all three models in the Samsung Galaxy S25 series will be equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen4 platform globally. The much-anticipated Samsung-developed Exynos 2500 processor will, however, be absent from this flagship lineup. According to leaks, the Exynos 2500 will find its way into the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7, expected to be launched in the latter half of next year.

This news signifies a significant shift for Samsung. Traditionally, Samsung's foldable devices have been powered by Snapdragon chips, while Exynos chips have primarily been used in Galaxy S series smartphones. The exclusion of Exynos 2500, however, underscores Samsung's challenges in advanced process technology. Sources suggest that the primary reason for the processor's absence from the Galaxy S25 series lies in low yield rates for Samsung's 3nm process.

Previous reports have indicated that Samsung's 3nm yield rate is only 40% of TSMC's. This has also resulted in Samsung losing out to TSMC in securing NVIDIA's orders. Analysts believe that Samsung needs to redouble efforts in advanced process technology to compete head-on with TSMC and secure more orders from major clients.

In fact, Samsung's performance in advanced process technology has been consistently below expectations in recent years, particularly in the 5nm and 4nm nodes. This has directly impacted the performance of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 series. Taking the Snapdragon 8 Gen1 as an example, this chip is built on Samsung's 4nm process, while the contemporary Dimensity 9000 utilizes TSMC's 4nm process.

Despite both the Dimensity 9000 and Snapdragon 8 Gen1 adopting the ArmV9 architecture and featuring the same CPU core configuration, performance differences are evident due to the disparity in process technology. Under the same 8W power consumption, the Dimensity 9000 scores considerably higher than the Snapdragon 8 Gen1 by approximately 20%. This signifies that, at identical power levels, Samsung's 4nm process falls significantly short of TSMC's 4nm technology in terms of performance.

Power consumption concerns led Qualcomm to switch to TSMC starting with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen1. For Samsung, losing Qualcomm, a major client, represents not only a loss of reputation but also a significant loss of market share.

The absence of the Exynos 2500 and Samsung's struggles in advanced process technology expose the challenges the company faces in the chip manufacturing realm. To regain its footing, Samsung needs to achieve breakthroughs in process technology and yield rates to secure its place in the future's increasingly competitive landscape.